The Best Gluten-Free Lemon Bar Recipe You'll Ever Make
These gluten-free lemon bars boast a flaky, buttery shortbread crust and a vibrant, velvety smooth lemon filling. They're also incredibly easy to make!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time36 minutesmins
Cooling time2 hourshrs
Total Time55 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: gluten-free lemon bars, lemon bar recipe, lemon bars
2-3lemons, zest and juice2 large / 3 small lemons, adjust depending on how citrusy you like it
Topping
2Tbsppowdered sugarreserve for topping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350º degrees F and grease an 8x8 glass baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
Combine all the crust ingredients in the bowl attached to your standing mixer (or use your hand mixer). Use the low setting on your mixer to mix the ingredients for about 1-2 minutes until well combined. You will end up with a crumbly mixture. Add the crumbly mixture to your baking dish and press the mixture firmly to form an even layer crust.
Par-bake the crust for 17-18 minutes until the edges start to lightly brown. Remove it from the oven.
While the crust is baking, combine all the filling ingredients in a medium or large bowl and whisk until well combined.
Pour the egg mixture over the par-baked hot crust and continue baking the lemon bars for 18-20 minutes until the filling is set and the edges just begin to brown.
Allow the lemon bars to fully cool in the baking dish before slicing, preferably overnight in the fridge. It's easier to cut the lemon bars when they're cold. I usually allow them to come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes, then cover them with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. The cold air will help the filling set in place and make them easier to slice.
Cut into 9 large or 16 small squares and top with powdered sugar just before serving (optional).
Notes
Properly Cooling the Lemon Bars: Cutting into your lemon bars when warm will result in a disaster. When you remove the lemon bars from the oven, allow them to cool at room temperature for about an hour. Cover with plastic wrap and then put the baking dish in your fridge to continue cooling. The cooling process is key for the custard filling to firmly set in place. I typically refrigerate my lemon bars overnight or for at least two hours before cutting them into squares. Cutting the Perfect Square: To get the perfect square cut, trim off the edges with a knife. Run the knife under hot water for 10 seconds, dry off the knife, then cut into the cold bars. Repeat these steps until you've cut all the lemon bars. No Eggs? I have not tested an egg-free version of this recipe (and I’m not sure if it would work). I don't recommend making this recipe if you can't eat eggs.Make It Dairy-Free? You can use dairy-free butter or palm shortening to make this recipe dairy-free. Metal Pan: If using a metal 8x8 baking pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and coat the bottom and sides with cooking oil.Use Fresh Lemons: Always use fresh lemon juice and zest. Avoid using lemon extract. You can use sweet Meyer lemons or plain old grocery store lemons.